Tashima Joins Fifa Presidency Race, Giving Infantino a Serious Challenger Before the 18 November Deadline

Gianni Infantino now has a credible rival for the Fifa presidency. Kozo Tashima, honorary president of the Japan Football Association (JFA), announced on Thursday that he will stand in the March election, less than two weeks before nominations close on 18 November.

Who is Kozo Tashima?

Tashima, 68, is a former Japan international and coach who currently sits on the Fifa Council. He led the JFA from 2016 to 2024. He is the second person to declare against Infantino, after the former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega, who announced his intention in October.

Tashima framed his candidacy around values rather than a manifesto. He spoke of the “sincerity, integrity and high ethical standards” that Japanese football has built up. He told the Japanese newspaper Sports Nippon that “it’s not about winning or losing”, a notable admission for someone entering an election. JFA president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto said the bid would show the world “the ideals and attitudes that Japanese football has cherished.”

Why the Fifa presidency is suddenly contested

The challenge follows a bruising summer for Infantino. His plan to sell a stake in Fifa’s commercial rights, reported as 20%, to private investors drew heavy criticism across the game. The proposal, known as Fifa Forward Enterprise, was dropped at the end of July. Uefa said it had “lost confidence” in the Swiss and promised to find a credible alternative candidate.

Since then Infantino has recovered much of his footing. At last month’s Asian Football Confederation congress in Tokyo, its president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa, reversed course and publicly endorsed him. Salman had previously sided with Uefa and Concacaf in trying to push Infantino out. Infantino has told BBC Sport he has the support of the “vast, vast majority” of world football. Reports say he also has Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Africa and South America behind him. He is expected to reach the 106 votes needed for a fourth term.

What Tashima’s candidacy could change

A candidate needs the backing of five of Fifa’s 211 member associations to get on the ballot, and the Guardian reports that Tashima will have no trouble securing them. It describes him as widely respected and says he is understood to have acted with Uefa’s blessing, having held talks with its officials in Tokyo. The Press Association, however, reports that Uefa’s search is continuing and that several candidates are still being sounded out. Uefa had not commented on Tashima’s announcement at the time of reporting.

The choice of a non-European may be deliberate. The Guardian suggests Uefa could have concluded that such a challenger would fare better given resentment over its perceived dominance of the sport. Tashima could also split the Asian vote, which Infantino appeared to have consolidated in Tokyo, and is expected to draw support from Europe and Concacaf. Whether Vega can reach the five-association threshold remains unclear.

Realistically, the arithmetic still favours the incumbent. But a contested ballot in Rabat, with a respected Fifa Council member as the main alternative, makes the race for the Fifa presidency more than a formality. The coming fortnight will show whether other names enter before the deadline and whether Tashima’s bid grows into a broader campaign against Infantino.

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